Winding apparatus



May 19, 1964 P. v. PANO ETAL 3,133,712

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventors 4o Peter V. iano Robert A. Clark jna'khew fi'. Pagne May 19, 1964 Filed May 4, 1962 P. V. PANO ETAL WINDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventors leter V. Pano Robert A.Clark )Aachew )1. Pagne 90m? am i May 1 1954 P. v. PANO ETAL WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 40 Inventors Peirer V. Parzo R beri: A. Clark Maihew 3'1. ?a%n 94m 2. mi 54% M gm {HE'S United States Patent 3,133,712 WINDING APPARATUS Peter V. Pane, Bannocirburn, Robert A. Clark, La Grange, and Matthew H. Payne, Chicago, ill assignors to Linen Supply Association of America, Chicago, Ill., a nonprofit corporation of Illinois Filed May 4, 1962, Ser. No. 192,459 17 Claims. (Cl. 242--66) The present invention relates to winding apparatus and more particularly it relates to an improved winding apparatus for automatically winding predetermined lengths of material into a roll.

Toweling employed in conventional dispensing cabinets is of the continuous roll type, the roll normally being approximately fifty yards in length. When the clean toweling becomes soiled from use the soiled roll is removed from the dispensing cabinet for cleaning. The web of toweling may be cleansed by any of the conventional laundering methods the web being continuously fed into an ironing machine after laundering. Ironing machines of the type employed in the processing of the web of material herein are designed to receive approximately fifty feet or one-third of the total web length in the process of ironing and drying before the leading edge of the web completely passes through the machine. After ironing and drying the web or toweling is re-wound into a roll for replacement into a dispensing cabinet.

Previous attempts to provide apparatus for winding of material into a roll have been somewhat unsatisfactory and have been generally unacceptable. One of the diiiiculties in the provision of such apparatus resides in the characteristic of a continuously processed web to be frequently laterally displaced from a central position of traverse along the direction of processing. This wandering characteristic of the web is frequently precipitated by unbalanced web tension at various points in the processing cycle tending to urge the towel in a laterally displaced direction. Non-uniform relative speeds of the various handling apparatus in the continuous cycle may also contribute to web displacement. It can readily be seen that subsequent winding or rolling of the web under tension will result in non-uniform placement of the web on the roll the non-uniformity merely reflecting the lateral oscillatory displacement that occurs during normal processing cycles. It should be observed that various control components incorporating conventional integral, derivative and/or proportional control responsive elements may be included in the processing lines to continuously and repetitively correct for all lateral deviation if the webbing from a predetermined path. Such control components, however, are quite expensive to install and maintain to the extent that the cost manifested by the inclusion of such controls is prohibitive economically and practically. The problem, therefore, remained substantially unsolved until the development of the present winding apparatus which permits uniform winding of webbing upon a roll form regardless of normal lateral displacement thereof in processing. The most satisfactory method of Winding webbing heretofore employed Within practical limitations has been under exclusive manual direction.

In accord with the present invention an automatic winding apparatus is provided at the exit end of the ironer and is adapted to receive the leading edge of the web while tension on the web is maintained due to the remainder of the web still being processed in the ironer. The winding apparatus of the present invention is adapted to receive and automatically wind the web as it is discharged from the ironer and after winding to automatically discharge the rolled web from the winding apparatus. The winding apparatus is provided with delay 3,133,712 Patented May 19, 1964 means in the winding thereof to provide a free loop to thereby relieve the web tension in winding of the web into a roll.

It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved web winding apparatus that is automatic in operation.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved automatic winding apparatus for winding a predetermined length of web into a roll.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic winding apparatus having means associated therewith adapted to temporarily delay the winding process after the initiation thereof for a predetermined period to permit a free loop to form in the Web between the winding roll and mandrel and the ironer to thereby relieve tension on the web during the winding process.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved automatic Winding apparatus that is adapted to wind a predetermined length of web into a roll said Wound rolls of material having substantially uniform lateral dimensions regardless of lateral derivations of the web as fed to the winding apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved winding apparatus having means to automatically discharge a fully wound roll therefrom.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic winding apparatus adapted to receive a continuous web and to wind said web on a roll within predetermined lateral dimensions.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved winding apparatus having guide and feed means adapted to uniformly wind a length of material within predetermined lateral dimensions.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved winding apparatus having automatic mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of a fully Wound roll of material for depositing a mandrel in operative relation in the machine for winding of the subsequent length of material.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the winding apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the winding apparatus of the present invention showing the apparatus at one stage of operation with subtantially a fully wound roll of material within the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is another view in perspective illustrating the initiation of discharge of a fully wound roll from the winding apparatus and preparation of the feed apparatus to receive the subsequent piece of material to be wound;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustratin g the loop forming means of the winding apparatus;

FIGURE 4a is a perspective view of one of the pressure rolls employed in the winding apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 4b is an end elevation view of the pressure roll of FIGURE 4a;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating the mandrel charging means in association with the winding apparatus;

FIGURE 6 is a view illustrating one modification of a driving means employed in the winding apparatus;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of the pulley means employed in the driving means of FIGURE 6 taken along line 77 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the improved winding apparatus shown in combination with an lroner.

Referring particularly now to FIGURE 8, the schematically illustrated fiatwork ironer is of conventional construction. The web of material 16, which may be a predetermined length of toweling characteristically of 50 yards in length, is received Within and carried through the ironer 15 and is simultaneously dried and ironed as it is fed through the ironer. It should be understood that the material 16 is directed to the ironer 15 from the laundering apparatus (not shown) in which it is cleaned. The material 16 is passed along and through the ironer 15 upon a continuous belt 18. The ironer 15, conventionally, is approximately 50 feet long so that about onethird of the predetermined material length is within the ironer 15 during the processing cycle.

One end of the continuous belt 18 is affixed to the winding apparatus, indicated generally at 20, as shown at 22. The belt 18 is directed over a roller 24, which roller is pivotally mounted, as indicated at 26, to the support member 28 of the apparatus 20.

The web of material 16 is directed from conveyor to the winding roll (described in detail hereinafter) of the apparatus along the chute means, indicated generally at 30.

The improved winding apparatus 20 of the present invention is adapted and arranged so that as the web of material 16 is fed into the apparatus 20 along belt 18 and chute 30, it will be wound on a mandrel or core (to be described below) and as each length of material 16 has been fully wound the completed roll 32 will automatically be deposited upon a suitable storage member 34. The fully wound rolls 32 may then be picked up at designated intervals and the mandrels or cores removed from the rolls 32 and replaced in the mandrel storage rack 36. The winding apparatus 20 is energized by power means 38, through suitable interconnecting drive mechanism to be described in detail hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the Winding apparatus 20 of the present invention is shown in side elevation with the side panel removed to show details of construction. The apparatus 20 is provided with a base member indicated generally at 40, said base being supported by a plurality of upstanding legs 42. The base 48 is further defined by a pair of spaced horizontal upper and lower support members 44 and 46, respectively.

The power means 38 is affixed to the lower support member 46 by a plurality of bolts 48, which bolts extend through the flange 50 of the casing of the power means 38 and are affixed to said support member 46. The driven shaft 52 of the power means 38 extends through the casing of said power means. The driven shaft 52 is, in turn, affixed through a coupler 54 to driving mechanism for the winding mechanism of the apparatus 20.

The coupler 54 is connected through a driven shaft 56 to a transversely related drive mechanism, indicated generally at 58. The drive mechanism may be, for example, a worm drive defined by a Worm pinion within the casing 60 and worm gear within the worm gear casing 62. Shaft 64 of the worm gear extends through the casing 62. Affixed to the shaft 64 are a sprocket 66 and a pulley 68. The worm drive mechanism is atfixed to the lower support member 46 by a plurality of bolts 70, which bolts extend through a flange 72, integral with the casing 62 of the worm gear, and into a generally C-shaped support member 74. The member 74 is affixed to the support member 46 by welding or other suitable joining means to form a rigid interconnection therewith.

The Winding Mechanism A first drive roll 76 is rotatably mounted within the winding apparatus 20 by a shaft 78, which shaft is supported on the side walls of the winding apparatus 20 by appropriate bearings (not shown). The drive roll 76 is non-rotatably secured to the shaft 78. A sprocket is rigidly afiixed to the shaft 78, at the near side as shown in FIGURE 1, said socket being secured to the shaft at the portion thereof extending beyond the lateral dimension of the drive roll 76 and between the side wall of the drive roll and the mounting bearing (not shown) in the side wall of the apparatus 20. A cam member 82 is relatively rotatably secured to the shaft 78 outboard of the socket 80 and adjacent thereto in predetermined orientation thereon as explained hereinbelow. The cam member 82 is defined by a protruding arm 84 projecting radially outwardly therefrom, said arm 84 being adapted to engage a switch as described below. A support arm 86 is relatively rotatably secured to the shaft 78 of the drive roll 76 to be supported thereby. The support arm 86 extends radially outwardly and at its free end is adapted to support a pressure roll 88 on a shaft 90 which is rotatably supported in the free end of the support arm 86. The cam member 82 is rigidly attached to the support arm 86 in the above noted predetermined orientation and the combination cam 82 and support arm 86 are adapted to pivot about the shaft 78. A spring 91 is alfixed at one end to an upstanding spring support 92 which support 92 is rigidly affixed to the upper support member 44 of the base 40. The other end of the spring 91 is attached to the radially extending arm 84 of the cam member 82. It will readily be seen that the cam member 82 is continually urged, under action of the spring 91, to rotate about the shaft 78 in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in FIGURE 1, to thereby efiectuate rotation of the support arm 86 and the pressure roll 88 mounted thereon in the same direction. A switch 94 is atfixed to the upper support member 44 of the base 40. A switch control member 96, defined by an elongated upstanding arm, extends upwardly within the arc defined by the arm 84 of the cam member 82 in describing its arc during rotation. As noted below, the arm 84 of the cam member 82 and the switch control member 96 of the switch 94 are co-operatively associated to de-energize the machine whenever the mandrel charging apparatus (described below) fails to place a mandrel upon the surface of the first drive roll.

A second drive roll 98 is mounted within the winding apparatus 20 by a shaft 180, which shaft, in turn, is supported by the side walls of the winding apparatus 20 by suitable bearing members (not shown). The second drive roll 98 is non-rotatably secured to the shaft 100 outboard the end of the second drive roll 98, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Power is transmitted from the drive mechanism 58 to the first and second drive rolls, 76 and 98, respectively, by means of a belt 104, which belt may be a conventional chain drive or the like. The power transmission is achieved with a chain in the preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention. As indicated the chain 104 is cooperatively associated with the drive mechanism 58 and the first and second drive rolls by operatively engaging the chain drive belt 104 over the sprocket 66 of the drive 58; sprocket 80 of the first drive roll 76 and sprocket 182 of the second drive roll 98. The sprockets 88 and 182 are provided with an equal number of teeth thereon to drive the first and second drive rolls, respectively, in the same direction at the same relative angular velocity. The sprocket 66 of the drive mechanism 58 may be provided with a suitable number of chain engaging teeth so that the first and second drive rolls are driven at appropriate speeds in the winding operation.

As illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the shaft 78 at the opposite end of the first drive roll 76 is provided with a sprocket thereon which sprocket is non-rotatably afiixed to the shaft 78. The opposite end of the shaft 90 of the pressure roll 88 is also provided with a sprocket non-rotatably mounted with respect thereto. A drive means 106, which may for example be a chain, cooperatively and drivingly engages the sprockets at the opposite shaft ends '78 and 90 to thereby effect rotation of the pressure roll 88 in conjunction and under direction of rotation of the first drive roll 76. The two sprockets noted above are interrelated so that the pressure roll 88 is driven at an angular velocity sufiicient to assure substantially equal velocity or" the peripheral portions of the first drive roll 76 and the pressure roll 88. The pressure roll 88 and the first drive roll 76 are not in peripheral contact with each other. The support arm 84 is adapted to support and maintain the pressure roll 88 in spaced relation to theperiphery of the first drive roll 76. In this manner, both rolls may be driven in the same angular direction without relative interference.

The drive means 106 employed between the pressure roll 88 and the first drive roll 76 may be substantially as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 in order to assure a closer control of the relative angular velocity of the two rolls. As indicated in FIGURE 6, the drive means is defined by an elongated rope-like portion 108 having enlarged globe portions 110 provided thereon at evenly spaced intervals therealong. The pulley members associated with said drive means are defined by an inwardly extending, substantially V-shaped portion therein being interrupted at spaced intervals thereabout by a plurality of recesses 114. The recesses 114 provided about the annulus of the V-shaped portion 112 of each of the pulleys are adapted to receive the globe portions 110 of the drive means. It can readily be seen that the globe portions 110 will be operatively associated with the recesses in each of the pulleys to drive said pulley or to be drivingly receiving by said pulley such that the angular velocity of the driven and driving pulleys will be substantially identical. Such drive means may be molded of extruded Teflon (tetrafluoroethylene), for example, and thus avoid the inherent deficiencies of metallic drive means, such as chains. The relatively low coefiicient of friction of such material will contribute substantially to the operating efiiciency of the machine and to the economy of maintenance thereof.

A third drive roll 116 is mounted within the winding apparatus 20 by means of a shaft member 118. Drive roll 116 is non-rotatably secured to the shaft 118 to be driven thereby. The shaft is rotatably received by the side wall of the winding apparatus 20 in suitable bearing supports (not shown). A sprocket 120 (FIGURES 2 and 3) is non-rotatably afiixed to the shaft 118 outboard the drive roll 116, between said roll and the bearing support. A sprocket 122 is afiixed to the same end of the shaft of the second drive roll as is indicated for the third drive roll 116 and as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. The sprockets 126 and 122, affixed to shafts 118 and 1190, respectively, are drivingly interconnected by drive means 124, which means 124 may be a conventional chain drive or may be the drive means as shown and described in conjunction with the description of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7. The drive means drivingly interconnecting the second drive roll 98 and the third drive roll 116 are such that the third drive roll 116 is driven at a slightly greater speed than said second roll. The peripheral velocity of the third drive roll, therefore, will be slightly greater than the peripheral velocity of either the second drive roll 98 or the first drive roll 76, respectively.

A pressure roll 126 is positioned below the third drive roll 116. The pressure roll 126 is rotatably supported by support means, indicated generally at 128. The support means for the pressure roll 126 is defined by an upstanding member 130 being affixed at its lower end to the base member 40 by a belt 132 which passes through said member 130 and into a bracket 134, said bracket being rigidly affixed to the upper support member 44 of the base 40. A generally horizontal bar 136 is pivotally attached to the upper terminal of the upstanding member 130 by a pivot pin 138. To one end of the bar 136 is aflixed a spring member 141), the spring being aflixed at its other end to a bracket 142, which bracket is rigidly aflixed to the upper support 44 of the base 41). The spring member 140 is aflixed to said bracket 142 by means of an eye hook 144 to provide a convenient means for adjustment of the tension on the spring and to thereby Vary the force urging the bar to rotate about the pin 138 in a counter-clockwise direction. The pressure roller 126 is mounted to the free end of the bar 136 by a shaft 146 which shaft extends into the bar 136 and is pivotally supported thereby. It should be understood that the support means 128 described hereinabove is substantially duplicated at the opposite side of the pressure roller 126 to provide for a uniform support at either side thereof. The pressure roll 126 is in peripheral contact with the outer periphery of the third drive roll 116 to be driven thereby upon rotation of said third drive roll.

The pressure roll 126 (as shown in FIGURES 4a and 4b) is defined by a plurality of spaced-apart collar portions 148, each of said collar portions being separated by a smaller diameter annulus 150 defining a recess therebetween. The large diameter collar portions 148 of the pressure roll 126 are slightly flattened at one portion 152 of the annulus thereof along a minor portion of the total periphery thereof. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention all of the collars 148 on one-half of the roll 126 are flattened a substantially uniform amount in the same area thereof, as shown in FIGURE 4a, the remaining half of the collars 148 on the other half of the roll being flattened substantially the same amount in diametrically opposed position to the flattened portions 152 on the first half. As thus defined it can readily be seen that the pressure roll will be engaged by the third drive roll by alternate halves thereof as defined by the flattened portions, at least during a portion of the rotation thereof. The flattened portions do not overlap so that during a portion of the rotation of the pressure roll under direction of the rotating periphery of the third drive roll the entire bank of collars 148 disposed along the roll 126 will be in direct engagement with said third drive roll. The flattened portions are sufiicient to relieve the pressure contact along alternate halves thereof of any material passing between the third drive roll and the pressure roll so that the material during the brief alternate intervals is free running and not driven along that side.

It can readily be seen that the action of the spring 141 through the bar 136 tends to rotate the pressure roll 126 into constant contact with the third drive roll to assure positive contact therewith at all times during operation of the winding apparatus 20.

The Chute and Web Guide Means As noted hereinabove, the chute means 30 is positioned at the end of the conveyor means 18 and is adapted to receive the web as it passes from the ironer 15 along the conveyor 18 and into the winding apparatus 21).

The chute means 30 is comprised of a chute 154 and the solenoid 156. The chute 154 is pivotally mounted with respect to the support member 28 by a pivot 158. A bracket extends from the pivoted portion of the chute member down along and under the outwardly extending portion of the chute to provide a support therefor. The pivot member 162 for the chute 154 is defined by a crank arm having one end thereof afiixed to the chute proper and the other end thereof aflixed to one end of the plunger 164 of the solenoid 156. The other end of the plunger 164 extends within the solenoid core. The casing 166 of the solenoid is afiixed to the support member 28 as indicated at 168.

A web guide and passageway defining member 170 errtends down the length of the support member 28, forms a loop at the bottom portion of the apparatus and then back upwardly along the support member 172. An inverted U-shaped web support and guide member 174 is affixed to the support member 172 adjacent to the upper terminal thereof and is an extension of the upper terminal of the web guide member 170 to, in cooperative relationship, define a continuous passage for the web passing therealong. A deflector plate 171 is provided at one side of the guide loop 170 to confine the webbing at one side thereof and prevent it from leaving the area defined by said loop.

A second chute member 176 is affixed to the side walls of the winding apparatus as by a plurality of screws, one of which is shown at 178. The chute 176 is defined by a fiat bottom portion 180 (FIGURE 3) and a pair of upstanding side walls 182 and 184 extending along either side of the bottom portion.

A micro-switch assembly, indicated generally at 234, is arranged in combination with the chute 176 such that the switch element 236 extends through the bottom 1% of said chute 176. An opening is provided in the bottom face 180 of the chute to receive the terminal of the switch element 236 of said micro-switch 234. The switch element 236 is operatively interconnected with the control element 233 of the switch. The micro-switch assembly 234 is afiixed to the side walls of the winding apparatus 20 by a support bar 240.

The switch element 236 is adapted to be deflected away from the bottom of the chute 176, in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in FIGURE 1, by the web of material passing therealong. When the material deflects the switch element 236 the control element 238 of the switch 234 is operative to effect a slight delay in the winding operation of the apparatus 2%) to permit a loop of material to form in the loop guide member 170 to thereby remove tension from the ironer in winding of the material into a roll.

Below the surface of the third drive roll 116, FIGURE 1, there is provided a web guide 186. The web guide 186 is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart elongated slots which cooperate with and receive the corresponding collar portions 148 of the pressure roller 126. The web guide 186 is secured at the opposite ends thereof to the side walls of the winding apparatus 20 by any conventional means such as screws. The web guide 186 is provided with upstanding side walls 188, which side walls are in spaced apart relation a distance which is slightly greater than the normal width of the material being handled within the machine. The flat bottom surface of the guide 186 is curvilinear in general outline and is adapted to guide the web 16 of material to a point just above and to the right of the second drive roll 98 as shown in FIGURE 1.

The third drive roll 116 is positioned such that the periphery thereof is spaced a slight distance above the fiat bottom portion of the web guide 186. The collars 148 of the pressure roll 126, as noted above, are adapted to extend into the web guide and into contact with the third drive roll 116 through corresponding slots provided in the bottom face of said guide 186. The recesses 150 of the pressure roll 126 are provided such that they are spaced from the bottom surface of the web guide 186 during operation thereof.

As noted in FIGURE 1, the webbing is guided within the chute and guide means primarily by the guide members 190 and 192. Guide 190 is disposed within the chute 176 and serves as the left guide member against which the material is guidingly disposed. The member 192 defines the right guide member for the webbing as it passes along the passageway defined by the support and guide members of the winding machine. In normal processing the webbing will be urged slightly against the left guide member 1%). The pressure with which the guide 1% tends to resist the further leftward movement of the webbing serves to urge the towel toward the right and against the right guide member 192. The guide member 19% and 192 serve to substantially center the webbing within the winding apparatus prior to winding thereof.

The Mandrel Charging Apparatus The mandrel charging apparatus of the present invention is comprised generally of a mandrel storage rack, indicated generally at 36, a mandrel discharge member 194 and an agitator to keep the mandrels dropping uniformly into the discharge member.

The storage rack 36 is defined by a generally hopper shaped member 196 within which is disposed a downwardly and rearwardly tapering plate 198 (as shown in FIGURE 1) said plate 198 terminating in a vertically disposed wall portion 199. The opening 2110 defined between the wall portion 199 and the rear wall of the hopper member 196 is substantially equal to one and one-half times the diameter of the mandrels employed in the winding apparatus. It is readily seen, therefore, that only one mandrel can drop through the opening 200 at one time. The bottom wall 202 of the hopper 196 slopes slightly toward the front of said hopper whereby the mandrels resting thereon tend to roll down said siope. A stop member 264 is provided in spaced relation to the opening at the lower front of the hopper 1% to prevent discharge of mandrels from the hopper when the mandrel discharge member 194 is in the lowered position.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the mandrel discharge member is comprised of a cam member 206 pivoted about axis 268. The pivot axis 268 for the cam member 206 being afiixed to the side wall of the winding apparatus 2 1 in any conventional manner. The front face of the cam 286 is provided with a recess 210 of substantially the diameter of one of the mandrels 37. A transfer plate 212 is rigidly affixed to the cam member 206 of the mandrel discharge means 194. A pair of mandrel guides 214 and 216 are affixed to the side walls of the winding apparatus 20, one at either side thereof and are adapted to engage the protruding shafts 39 of the mandrels and to guidingly position them during the winding operation. A counterwei ht 218 is attached to the rear of the cam member 206 to counter balance the weight of the mandrels.

A pair of rotatable agitator members 220 and 222 are disposed within the hopper 196 along either side of the plate 1% to provide a means for keeping the mandrels 3'7 aligned. The rotatable members 220 and 222 are interconnected by an axle member 224, said axle member being mounted within the hopper 196 by bearing members (not shown). The member 220 is drivingly interconnected to a pulley 226. The pulley 226 is nonrotatably mounted on the shaft 223. The driving interconnection between pulley 226 and member 220 may be realized by a conventional belt employed for such drives. A substantially larger diameter pulley 230 is non-rotatably mounted on shaft 228 in driving relation therewith. The pulley 230 is drivingly interconnected by means of member 232 to the pulley 68 of the drive mechanism 58. Thus, initiation of operation of the winding apparatus 20 will effect rotation of the rotatable agitating member 229 and 222 to assure uniform and continued deposition of the mandrels 37 to the bottom of the hopper member 196.

Operation The operation of the winding apparatus of the present invention is best understood by reference to the drawing of FIGURE 1. The web of material 16, after it passes through the ironer 15 (FIGURE 8), continues along the conveyor 18. The leading edge of the web is carried along out over the end of the conveyor 18 as defined by the roller 24.

When the winding apparatus 20 is initially energized through conventional switch means (not shown) the chute means 30' will be urged upwardly, under the action of the solenoid 156, to the position shown by the dotted lines 1154, of FIGURE 1.

The leading edge of the web of material 16 passes over the end of the conveyor 18, as noted above, and drops onto the bottom face of the chute 154, which chute, as indicated, is in the uppermost position defined by said dashed lines. The material 16 continues to move along the chute means 30 and subsequently is deposited within 9 the chute .176 as it continues to progress along the path defined through the winding apparatus 20.

From the chute 176 the material 16 passes into the guide member 186 wherein it is fed between the third drive roll 116 and the pressure roll 126. It should be observed that when the winding apparatus 20 is initially energized the power means 38 rotates to rotate the drive rolls through the drive means 58 and interconnecting driving mechanism associated with each of the drive rolls, as described hereinabove.

The material 16 is in pressure contact with the third drive roll 4116 and the pressure roll 126 as it passes therebetween. More specifically, the material 16 is in pressure contact between the drive roll 116 and the collar portions 148 of the pressure roll 126. The spaced relief areas defined by the recesses d of the pressure roll 126 are provided so that the web of material passing between the drive roll and the pressure roll will experience no tendency to wrinkle or pinch as would quite probably be realized with the use of a solid pressure roll 126.

The flattened portions 152 are provided on a portion of the periphery of each of the collars 148 to inhibit the tendency of the continuous web of material 16 to drift away from a centered position during the winding operation. It should be noted that due to varying tensions experienced during processing of the material, there is a tendency for the web to be urged to one side or the other of the central position within the passageway defined by the apparatus. If this tendency is not corrected prior to winding of the web of material it can readily be seen that the roll of Wound material will not be uniform in its lateral dimension. It is important to provide a uniformly wound roll of material for the dispensing machines. If the roll is not uniformly wound it may become unwound prior to use or it may be unsuitable for use in the dispensing machines due to the lateral tolerances defined in manufacture of said cabinets.

Control apparatus of a sophisticated nature could be employed in the processing lines to signal when the material is deviating from a predetermined path during the processing cycle. Such control equipment is readily available in the form of sophisticated expensive proportional, derivative and integral-type control components. These types of control elements, however, are not suited for use in the present processing apparatus for the reason that they are too expensive, both in initial cost and in maintenance cost. Further, the use of such equipment requires some degree of training entailing additional expenditures and the employment of personnel who can command moderate wages in accord with their training. In view 1 of the fact that the processing noted herein is of 8. marginal type in regard to economics it is essential that costs of the operation be considered and reduced wherever possible. To this extent, the use of sophisticated and expensive controls in conjunction with the winding apparatus 2.6 of the present invention is negated by economics and a simpler and less expensive method of control of the material during processing thereof must be realized.

The flattened portions 152 of the pressure roll 126 realize the desired control of the web of material 16 during processing of said material through the winding apparatus 20. As noted above, the flattened portions appear on portions of the periphery of each of the collar portions 143 of said roll. As shown in FIGURE 4a, the flattened portions 15-2 appear in substantially the same position on each of the collar portions on one half of the pressure roll and at the diametrically opposed position on each of the collar prtions on the other half of the pressure roll. When the material is processed through the winding apparatus it can be seen that during a portion of each revolution of the pressure roll 126 the material will not be under pressure at one side thereof, the pressure relief alternating sides in accord with the presentation of the flattened portions 152 into juxtaposed relation with the third drive roll. At all remaining angular positions during revolution of the pressure roll 126 the web of material is confined along the entire width by the spaced collar portions 148 thereof. Thus, during the period of revolution defined by the passage of the flattened portions along the material it should be observed that the material may, in this relieved condition, realign itself under direction of the action of the side under pressure. In view of the fact that the material is alternately relieved at opposite sides thereof there will be no tendency for the web of material to pile [up behind the pressure point defined between the third drive roll and the pressure roll 126. Also the tendency of the material to pile up atone side thereof, should one side of the towel be somewhat longer than said other side or under greater tension than the other side, is alleviated due to alternate relieving of that side of the web. During the period defined by passage of the flattened portion of the pressure roll along the material the material will be quickly pulled by the pressure point by the action of tension on the remaining section of the Web.

As the web of material 16 passes along the chute 176 toward the pressure point, defined by the third drive roll 116 and the pressure roll 1126, it trips the switch element 236 of the switch 234. The control element 238 of the switch 234, through suitable delay means temporarily stops the operation of the Winding apparatus 38 by temporarily de-energizin'g the power means 33 and the drive rolls that are operatively interconnected therewith. The delay means (not shown) introduces a delay in de-energization of the apparatus suflicient to permit the leading edge of the material to move along the passageway defined therefor in the winding apparatus 20 and to wrap itself at least once about the mandrel 37 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

The leading edge of the material, after passing between the third drive roll 116 and the pressure roll 126, continues along the guide 186 to the terminal point of said guide which extends to a point just to the right of the central axis of the second guide roll 98, as shown in FIGURE 1. At this point the material 16 leaves the guide 186 and is directed downwardly toward the first drive roll 76 and the pressure roll 88.

A mandrel 37 should be in position upon the surface of the first drive roll '76, being left there from the last operation of the winding apparatus. If a mandrel 37 is not present on the surface of the first drive roll 76 of the winding apparatus 20, the apparatus will not operate. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, the arm 84 of the cam member 82 will serve to urge the switch control member 96 of the switch 94 to the right as shown in FIGURE 1 in the absence of a mandrel on the surface of the drive roll "76. It can readily be seen that if a mandrel is not present in position the pressure roll 88 and support arm 86, under urging of the spring 91, will tend to rotate counter-clockwise about the shaft '78 until the pressure roll and support arm assembly come into contact with the guide members 214 and 216. Rotation of the pressure roll and support arm assembly to this position will, as noted above, serve to bring the arm 84 of the cam 82 into engagement with said switch control member 96 and will serve to urge said control member to the right, as shown in FIGURE 1, to de-energize the power means 38 and thus prevent operation of the winding apparatus. If a mandrel is not present in the apparatus initially, or during any successive cycle of the operation in winding separate pieces of material into a roll, it should be noted that the operator of the machine must take a mandrel 37 from the mandrel storage rack or hopper 196 and place it in position on the surface of the firs-t drive roll 76 thereby moving the arm 84 out of engagement with the switch control member 96 and permitting operation of the winding apparatus.

The leading edge of the material after leaving the terminal of the guide 1136 is directed toward the mandrel 37, pressure roll 88 interface by the curvilinear guide 186. The pressure roll 83 is rotating in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 1, and when the leading edge of the material strikes the rotating pressure roll 88 the edge is drawn down and into the rolling interface defined between the mandrel and the pressure roll 88. The mandrel, which is merely in rotating contact with the surface of the first drive roll 76 and the pressure roll 88, is rotating in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 1. The leading edge of the web of material 16 continues downwardly between the mandrel and the pressure roll 88 and is again deflected by the first drive roll, which also is rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. The first drive roll 76 deflects the material to the left, as shown in FIGURE 1, and tends to keep the material in contact with the periphery of the mandrel 37 to wrap it thereabout. The material is next deflected upwardly and again toward the periphery of the mandrel by the second drive roll 98 which is rotating in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 1. It should be noted that the first drive roll 76 and the second drive roll 98 are in spaced relation with respect to each other so that both may rotate in the same direction.

The material may have a tendency to fall away from the periphery of the mandrel 37 as it passes upwardly and out of the influence of the second drive roll 38. The leading edge of the material 16 will, however, be prevented from falling away from said mandrel by the subsequent material being pulled into the drive roll assembly. It can readily be seen that the leading edge of the material as it passes upwardly beyond the second drive roll 98 will strike the subsequent material and be pulled along therewith thus completing the traverse of the periphery of the mandrel and forming the first complete lap of material 16 about the mandrel. The first lap of material 16 about the mandrel will be trapped and bound thereto by the action of subsequent layers of material being wrapped about the mandrel thereby defining a roll of material thereon.

After the first few laps of material 16 have been Wound upon the mandrel 37 the delay action unit (not shown), which was energized by tripping of the switch 234 by the passage of material 16 therepast, becomes effective to de-energize the winding apparatus 20 for a brief period of time. When the apparatus 20 is de-energized under action of the switch 234, the solenoid 156 is de-energizled and the plunger 164 falls downwardly thereby permitting the chute 154 to drop to the position shown by the solid lines in FIGURE 1. At substantially the same instant the power means is de-energized thereby terminating temporarily the operation of the winding mechanism. The conveyor 18 continues to move the material 16 therealong to deliver it to the winding apparatus.

When the chute 154 drops down to the lowered position a loop area is provided the outline thereof being defined by the loop guide 170. The power means 38 is de-energized for a time sufiicient to permit the conveyor 18 to feed a suflicient quantity of material into the loop area so that said material is in substantial contact with the outline of said area and with said loop guide 170. The extent of the delay, of course, is dependent upon the linear speed of the conveyor and therefore upon how rapidly the conveyor is delivering the material to the winding apparatus 20.

When sufiicient time has elapsed to permit the material 16 to extend fully into the loop area defined by said loop guide 170, the delay mechanism will again energize the power means 38 to re-establish operation of the winding mechanism of the winding apparatus 20. The chute 154 remains in the down position indicated by the solid lines in FIGURE 1 until the subsequent cycle of operation when one roll of material has been fully wound and a subsequent roll is about to be wound.

The condition of the winding apparatus 20 just prior to de-energization of the power means 38 by the switch member 234 is illustrated in FIGURE 5. As indicated therein, a few laps of material 16 are wound upon the mandrel 37 prior to said de-energization. The chute 154 remains in the up position defined in FIGURE 5 until the temporary de-energization of the power means 38 to assure that the web of material continues to be fed along the passageway defined in the winding apparatus 20 and to assure that the material will be continually processed by the machine into the winding mechanism to be Wound upon the mandrel 37. As indicated in FIGURE 5, the mandrel charging apparatus 36, has just deposited one mandrel 37 upon the surface of the first drive roll and has not yet fully returned to the up position wherein a subsequent mandrel 37 may be received within the recess 210 defined in the cam 206. As indicated the cam 206 has a rounded cam surface 207 that prevents the discharge of mandrels 37 from the hopper 196 While the cam 206 and mandrel discharge plate 194 are in the down or charging position. The rounded cam surface 207 extends upwardly into the recess defined between the bottom wall 202 of the hopper 196 and the stop plate 264 spaced therefrom, to thereby effectively block said recess or opening and thus prevent the unwanted discharge of mandrels 37 from said hopper 196.

The winding apparatus 20 is illustrated in the intermediate winding stage in FIGURES 2 and 4, where a substantial portion of the predetermined length of material 16 is already wound upon the mandrel 37 As shown, the pressure roll 88, which is pivotally mounted on shaft 78 and with respect to the first drive roll 76, rotates in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 2, to accommodate the progressively increasing diameter of the roll of material upon the mandrel 37. The protruding shafts 39 of the mandrel 37 are guidingly received along the surfaces of the guide members 214 and 216. As clearly illustrated in FIGURE 2, the mandrel 37 rides up along the rearwardly sloping surfaces 214a and 216a as the diameter of the material wound upon the mandrel increases. This construction provides a simple, efficient and easily maintained means for accommodating the varying diameter of the material being wound upon the mandrels 37. The pivoted pressure roll 88 is adapted to maintain the material in contact with the first and second drive rolls 76 and 98, respectively, during the winding operation. It should be observed that the periphery of the pressure roll 88 is adapted to be above the horizontal plane tangential with the upper periphery of the first drive roll 76 during the Winding operation so that the roll of material will be positively urged into contact with said drive rolls and not be permitted to drop off of said rolls. As shown in FIG- URE 4, the mandrel charging plate 194 carries a mandrel 37 thereon ready for deposit thereof upon the surface of the first drive roll 76 during the next cycle of operation. The mandrel is retained upon the plate by contact of the protruding shafts 39 of the mandrel 37 with the back guide surfaces of the guide members 214 and 216. The plate 194 is hinged, as indicated at 195 in FIGURE 4, to permit free pivotal action of said plate about the hinge axis under urging of the continually changing diameter of the roll of material being wound upon the mandrel 37.

As shown in FIGURE 3, when the predetermined length of material has been fully wound upon the mandrel 37, the pressure roll 88 will have been pivoted clockwise (FIGURE 3) an amount sufficient to bring the periphery of said pressure roll 88 below the horizontal plane tangential with the upper periphery of the first drive roll 7 6. It will readily be seen that with the pressure roll 88 in this position there will be nothing to retain the fully wound roll of material 32 upon the surface of the drive roll 76. The center of gravity of the fully wound roll 32, at this point in the processing cycle, is to the left of the point of contact of the roll 32 with the first drive roll 76 and the natural tendency of the now unsupported roll 32 will be to fall to the left (FIGURE 3) of the first drive roll in accord with its weight distribution and support defining members. As shown in FIGURE 8, the fully wound roll of material 32 will drop away from the winding mechanism onto the platform 34 which serves as a temporary 13 storage member for the rolls 32 until they are picked up, packaged and otherwise processed through the plant.

Generally, the spacing between successive pieces of material 16 will be such that as one predetermined length thereof is being dropped from the winding apparatus 20 in a fully wound roll 32, the leading edge of the subsequent piece of material 16 will have been processed through the ironer and will be extending over the edge of the winding apparatus as defined by the terminal 24 of the conveyor 18, substantially as indicated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings.

As the trailing edge of the web of material 16 leaves the chute 176, the bottom face 180 thereof will be exposed. Also, the switch element 236 of the switch 234 will be released and will under its own action be urged back into the recess defined in the bottom 180 of the chute 176. When this switch 234 is thus operated, the next cycle of operation is initiated. The solenoid 156 is again energized and the chute 154 is urged to its up position defined by the dashed lines in FIGURE 3. The spacing between successive pieces of material 16 should be such that the leading edge of the succeeding piece will not extend into the area covered by the chute 154 until at least the trailing edge of the preceding piece of material 16 has passed the switch element 234 to permit recycling of the winding apparatus. This distance will normally be only a matter of a few feet and it will not be essential to pay very close attention to the spacing of subsequent pieces of material.

As shown in FIGURE 3, as the fully wound piece of material 32 drops away from the Winding mechanism of the winding apparatus and further depresses the pressure roll 88. The discharge of the fully wound roll 32 permits the mandrel charging plate 194 to rotate downwardly under the Weight of the mandrel 37 thereon, the plate 194 remaining in contact with the periphery of the discharging roll 32 as it rotates downwardly. It should be observed that the lateral dimension of the plate 194 is such that it extends between the width defined between the guide members 214 and 216. When the roll 32 is almost discharged from the machine, the pressure roll will be in its furthest position away from the guide members 214 and 216 and the plate 194 will have rotated downwardly sufficiently to permit the mandrel 37 to drop therefrom onto the surface of the first drive roll. As soon as the roll 32 is fully discharged from the winding apparatus 2%, the pressure roll 88 will rotate back to its operative position to come into contact with the mandrel 37 now resting upon the surface of said first drive roll 76. As noted hereinabove, if a mandrel is not present upon the surface of said first drive roll, the pressure roll 88 will continue to rotate counterclockwise as shown in FIGURE 3, to bring the arm 84 of the cam 82 into contact with the switch element 96 of switch 94 to thereby de-energize the power means 33 and stop the winding apparatus until a mandrel 37 is placed upon the surface of the first drive roll 76.

Shortly after, in time sequence, the return of the pressure roll 88 to its operative winding position, the leading edge of the succeeding piece of material 16 will have traversed the passageway defined within the winding apparatus 20 and will enter the interface between the pressure roll 88 and the mandrel 37 to complete initiation of the subsequent cycle of operation. Again, after a few laps of material have been wound upon the mandrel 37 the time delay means (not shown) will effect deenergization of the power means 38, and thereby the winding mechanism, and will drop the chute 154 to its down position to permit the loop of material to form within the loop guide member 170.

While we have shown and described a specific embodiment of the present invention it will, of course, be understood that other inodifications and alternative constructions may be used without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended by 'the appended claims to cover all such modifications and '14 alternative constructions as fall within their true spirit and scope.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material, said chute being movable between two positions, one chute position defining web conveying and supporting position and the other position being defined with the chute away from supporting position and spaced from the web path; switch means interposed in said passageway and adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized by the passage of said material therepast effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll to move the chute to said other position and to hold the winding apparatus in stop condition until a loop of web material has been provided in position preceding entry to the winding apparatus; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from said winding apparatus; mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel on the surface of said winding roll; and means to de-energize said apparatus upon failure of said mandrel means to place a roll upon the surface of said winding roll.

2. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said Web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material; switch means interposed in said passageway and adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized by the passage of said material therepast effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll for a period suflicient to form a loop in said web of material within said passageway; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from said winding apparatus; mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel on the surface of said winding roll; and means to de-energize said apparatus upon failure of said mandrel means to place a roll upon the surface of said winding roll.

3. In a winding apparatus for winding a Web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material, said chute means including a pivoted chute member adapted in one position to be disposed away from the path of said material as it passes through said winding apparatus; switch means interposed in said passageway and adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized by the passage of said material therepast effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter auto matically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from said winding apparatus; and mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel on the surface of said winding roll.

4. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material; switch means interposed in said passageway and adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; feed means interposed in said passageway, said feed means including a pair of rolls between which said web is drivingly received, one of said pair of rolls having a plurality of spaced non-circular radially extending collar portions therealong; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized by the passage of said material therepast effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from said winding apparatus; and mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel on the surface of said winding roll.

5. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of maetrial into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material; switch means interposed in said passageway and adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; feed means interposed in said passageway, said feed means including a pair of rolls between which said web is drivingly received, one of said pair of rolls having a plurality of spaced radially extending collars therealong, the periphery of a portion of each of said collars being flattened along a portion of the arc defined thereby; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized by the passage of said material therepast effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from said winding apparatus; and mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel upon the surface of said winding roll.

6. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material; switch means interposed in said passageway and adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; feed means interposed in said passageway, said feed means including a pair of rolls between which said web is drivingly received, one of said pair of rolls being non-circular along a portion of its length to define release of the driving relation of a portion of the total width of said material when said non-circular portion is in mating circumferential relation to the other of said pair of rolls; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized by the passage of said material therepast effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wounnd roll of material from said Winding apparatus; and mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel upon the surface of said winding roll.

7. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material; switch means interposed in said passageway and adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; feed means interposed in said passageway, said feed means including a pair of rolls between which said web is drivingly received, one of said pair of rolls having a plurality of spaced radially extending collars therealong, the periphery of a portion of each of said collar portions being flattened along a portion of the arc defined thereby, said flattened areas being in substantially aligned circumferential positions on the collars defined along one-half of the one of said pair of rolls and in diametrically opposed aligned relation along the other half of the collars along the remaining half of the one of said pair of rolls to thereby define alternate side-to-side release of driving relation with the material as it passes between said pair of rolls; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from said winding apparatus; and mandrel charging means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel upon the surface of said winding roll.

8. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material, said chute means including a pivoted chute member adapted in a first position to define a guide channel for said material and in a second position to be disposed away from the path of said material as it passes through said winding apparatus; switch means adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized effective to temporarily stop the rotation of said winding roll after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from Said winding apparatus; mandrel charging means respon- 17 sive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel on the surface of said winding roll; and means to de-energize said apparatus upon failure of said mandrel charging means to place a roll upon the surface of said winding roll.

9. In a winding apparatus for winding a web of material into a roll: chute means to guidingly receive said web of material, said chute means being movable between two positions, said chute means in one position defining a passageway within said winding apparatus for said material and in the other position being spaced from said passageway; switch means adapted to be energized by the passage of said material along said passageway; a continuously rotating winding roll operatively disposed within the passageway of said winding apparatus; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of said winding roll, said material being directed along said passageway and between the mandrel and the winding roll and around said mandrel to wind said material thereabout into a roll, said switch means when energized effective to temporarily stop the winding apparatus after the introduction of said material between said mandrel and said winding roll; means responsive to a predetermined roll diameter automatically to discharge a fully wound roll of material from said winding apparatus; mandrel changing means responsive to the discharge of said fully wound roll from said apparatus to place another mandrel upon the surface of the winding roll; and means to de-energize said apparatus upon failure of said mandrel charging means to place a mandrel upon the surface of said winding roll.

10. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support, chute means mounted on the support, said chute means including a chute adapted to be moved between two positions, one chute position defining chute support and guide means for the web and the other chute position being defined away from the web and out of supporting relation therewith; power means mounted on said support; a pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said pair of rolls by the pressure roll; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to Wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay switch responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of said pair of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel, said switch effective to move the chute from said one position to said other position when energized by the passage of the leading edge of the web of material.

11. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support; chute means mounted on the support, said chute means including a chute adapted to be moved between two positions, one chute position defining chute support and guide means for the web and the other chute position being defined away from the web and out of supporting relation therewith; power means mounted on said support; a first pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said first pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said first pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said first pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said first pair of rolls by the pressure roll; a second pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support in position thereon between the chute means and said first pair of rolls,

said second pair of rolls adapted to receive the material therebetween as it passes through the winding apparatus in its path to the first pair of rolls and adapted to define pressure engagement of the material, the material being under tension in the area between the second pair of rolls and the material rolled upon the mandrel; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay swtich responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of said first and second pairs of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel, said switch effective to move the chute from said one position to said other position when energized by the passage of the leading edge of the web of material.

12. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support; power means mounted on said support; a first pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said first pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said first pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said first pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said first pair of rolls by the pressure roll; a second pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support, said second pair of rolls adapted to receive the material therebetween as it passes through the winding apparatus in its path to the first pair of rolls and to define pressure engagement of the material, said material being under tension in the area thereof between the second pair of rolls and the material rolled upon the mandrel; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay switch responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of said first and second pairs of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel, said stop condition being sustained for a period sufficient to establish a freely suspended loop of material to remove all tension in the material preceding entry to the second pair of rolls.

13. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support; power means mounted on said support; a first pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said first pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said first pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said first pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said first pair of rolls by the pressure roll; a second pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support, said second pair of rolls adapted to receive the material therebetween as it passes through the winding apparatus in its path to the first pair of rolls and adapted to define pressure engagement of the material, said material being under tension in the area thereof between the second pair of rolls and the material rolled upon the mandrel, one roll of said second pair of rolls defining a series of non-circular collars along its length; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay switch responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of said first and second pairs of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel.

14. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support, power means mounted on said support; a first pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said first pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said first pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said first pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said first pair of rolls by the pressure roll; a second pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support, said second pair of rolls adapted to receive the material therebetween as it passes through the winding apparatus in its path to the first pair of rolls, one roll of said second pair of rolls being drivingly interconnected to one of said first pair of driven rolls, the driving interconnection between said first and second pair of rolls being such that the one roll of said second pair of rolls is driven at a slower angular velocity than the velocity of the first pair of rolls said second pair of rolls thereby defining means to place the material between said first and second pair of rolls under tension to permit tight winding of the material about the mandrel; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay switch responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of the first and second pairs of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel.

15. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support; power means mounted on said support; a first pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said first pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said first pair of rolls, said pressure roll being drivingly interconnected to said one of said first pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said first pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said first pair of rolls by the pressure roll; a second pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support in spaced relation to said first pair of rolls, said second pair of rolls adapted to receive the material therebetween as it passes through the winding apparatus in its path to the first pair of rolls, one roll of said second pair of rolls being drivingly interconnected to one of said first pair of driven rolls, the driving interconnection between said first and second pair of rolls being such that the second one roll of said second pair of rolls is driven at a slower angular velocity than the velocity of the first pair of rolls said second pair of rolls thereby defining means to place the material between said first and second pair of rolls under tension to permit tight winding of the material about the mandrel; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated Web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay switch responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of the first and second pairs of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel.

16. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support, power means mounted on said support; chute means mounted on the support, said chute means including a chute adapted to be moved between two positions, one chute position defining chute support and guide means for the Web and the other chute position being defined away from the web and out of supporting relation therewith; a first pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said first pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said first pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said first pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said first pair of rolls by the pressure roll; a second pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support, said second pair of rolls adapted to receive the material therebetween as it passes through the winding apparatus in its path to the first pair of rolls, one roll of said second pair of rolls being drivingly interconnected to one of said first pair of driven rolls, the driving interconnection between said first and second pair of rolls being such that the second one roll of said second pair of rolls is driven at a slower angular velocity than the velocity of the first pair of rolls said second pair of rolls thereby defining means to place the material between said first and second pair of rolls under tension to permit tight winding of the material about the mandrel; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay switch responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of the first and second pairs of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel, said switch effective to move the chute from said one position when activated by the passage of the leading edge of the material.

17. A winding apparatus for winding an elongated web of material upon a mandrel, said apparatus comprising: a support; power means mounted on said support; a first pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support and drivingly interconnected to said power means; a pressure roll pivotally mounted with respect to one of said first pair of rolls and biased in direction toward the other of said first pair of rolls, said pressure roll drivingly interconnected to said one of the first pair of rolls; a mandrel supported for rotation on the surface of one of said first pair of rolls and urged into contact with the other of said first pair of rolls by the pressure roll; a second pair of rolls rotatably mounted on said support, said second pair of rolls adpated to receive the material therebetween as it passes through the winding apparatus in its path to the first pair of rolls, one roll of said second pair of rolls being drivingly interconnected to one of said first pair of driven rolls, the driving interconnection between said first and second pair of rolls being such that the second one roll of said second pair of rolls is driven at a slower angular velocity than the velocity of the first pair of rolls said second pair of rolls thereby defining means to place the material between said first and second pair of rolls under tension to permit tight winding of the material about the mandrel, the other roll of said pair of rolls defining a plurality of spaced collars along the length thereof, a portion of the periphery of each of said collars being flattened; means to direct the leading edge of said elongated web of material to the interface between the mandrel and the pressure roll and around said mandrel to wind the material thereabout into a roll; a time delay switch responsive to the passage of the leading edge of said material thereby to temporarily stop the rotation of the first and second pairs of rolls after the leading edge of said web of material has been rolled upon the mandrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,880,943 Stephens Apr. 7, 1959 

14. A WINDING APPARATUS FOR WINDING AN ELONGATED WEB OF MATERIAL UPON A MANDREL, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A SUPPORT, POWER MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT; A FIRST PAIR OF ROLLS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND DRIVINGLY INTERCONNECTED TO SAID POWER MEANS; A PRESSURE ROLL PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF ROLLS AND BIASED IN DIRECTION TOWARD THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF ROLLS; A MANDREL SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ON THE SURFACE OF ONE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF ROLLS AND URGED INTO CONTACT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF ROLLS BY THE PRESSURE ROLL; A SECOND PAIR OF ROLLS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT, SAID SECOND PAIR OF ROLLS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE MATERIAL THEREBETWEEN AS IT PASSES THROUGH THE WINDING APPARATUS IN ITS PATH TO THE FIRST PAIR OF ROLLS, ONE ROLL OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF ROLLS BEING DRIVINGLY INTERCONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF DRIVEN ROLLS, THE DRIVING INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIR OF ROLLS BEING SUCH THAT THE ONE ROLL OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF ROLLS IS DRIVEN AT A SLOWER ANGULAR VELOCITY THAN THE VELOCITY OF THE FIRST PAIR OF ROLLS SAID SECOND PAIR OF ROLLS THEREBY DEFINING MEANS TO PLACE THE MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIR OF ROLLS UNDER TENSION TO PERMIT TIGHT WINDING OF THE MATERIAL ABOUT THE MANDREL; MEANS TO DIRECT THE LEADING EDGE OF SAID ELONGATED WEB OF MATERIAL TO THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE MANDREL AND THE PRESSURE ROLL AND 